In addition to connector arrangements with terminal contacts for copper wires, connectors are also known which couple optical fibers to one another. Optical fibers are often used for data transmission when large amounts of data are to be transmitted at high transmission rates or parallel transmission of data on a plurality of channels is desired. The connector arrangement couples an optical fiber and an optical element, for example a further optical fiber or a diode, to one another and conventionally consists of a plug and an associated mating plug.
Optical fibers are also used, for example, in motor vehicles because of their low sensitivity to interference from electromagnetic radiation. During assembly, maintenance or repair where a plug is in an unmated condition there are various protective devices which may be applied to the plug to protect the optical fibers.
A known protective device for a connector arrangement is, for example, a protective cap which is removed before connection of the plug to the mating plug. Removal of the cap involves an additional step in the assembly of the connector arrangement and also leads to storage problems with the cap.
A further protective device is known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,506,922 in the form of a protective flap which can be opened for connection to the optical fiber. The flap opens upon connection of the plug to the mating plug and is a complex mechanism which is susceptible to defects.
A further common protective device is a collar arranged about the optical fiber which protects the optical fiber and upon connection to the mating plug is connected to the optical element thereof. The collar is, however, only suitable for connecting optical fibers to one another because in the event of connection to a different optical element, the diameter of the collar is too large to obtain a protective effect. A collar can only be designed for connection to an optical element of a certain size.